Tennessee Military Institute - Radiogram Yearbook (Sweetwater, TN)

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' THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER ' . IN THE BREEZE

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sumed by Seniors, with an advanced text on American History, followed by a text on the development of political parties in the United States and the fun- damentals of civil government. MODERN LANGUAGES Courses are offered in French, Spanish, and German. Our teachers of these subjects are masters in their respective lines, and are able to make the language work full of interest to the pupils. The primary object of this de- partment is to give such instruction as will enable a student to read easily and intelligently the authors studied and to enjoy the literature of these lan- guages. The courses in French, German, and Spanish are designed to cover fully all college-entrance requirements. The work of the first course includes a careful study of pronunciation, grammar drill, abundant exercises in com- position, spelling, dictation, and reading of about 250 pages of prose, and short poems. The second course includes more advanced and detail study of syntax and construction, irregular verbs, much work in composition and conversa- tion, drill in phonetics, written reports in the language, and the reading of at least 400 pages of modern prose, including in French such authors as Hugo, De Maupassant, Dumas, and Daudetg in Spanish, Alarcon, Benaventes, Valera, in German, Benedix, Bernhardt, Storm, Wildenbruch, Frommel, etc. The courses are intended to give the student not only a theoretical knowledge and reading ability, but also a practical grasp of everyday French, German, and Spanish. In Spanish commercial correspondence is emphasized, in German and French the cultural and scientific phases are emphasized. SCIENCE The work in Science includes Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. A standard text in each subject is pursued throughout the year. The teacher questions the pupils on the subject matter assigned each day, and dem- onstrates the principles contained therein by lecture-table demonstrations. Laboratory work is carried forward in connection with all Science courses. Students in the Biology, Physics, and Chemistry classes are required to do individual laboratory work, keep accurate notebooks, and record all ex- periments. Original exercises and problems are assigned to bring out more clearly the principles involved and to arouse interest in the vocational aspects of the subjects. LATIN We urge all our pupils whose ages and circumstances will permit to get a thorough course in Latin. We offer four years' work in this subject, embracing Beginner's Latin, Cmsar, Cicero, Virgil, or Ovid. Systematic grammar and composition work is carried in connection with Caesar and Cic- ero, while a study of Greek and Roman myths accompanies the Virgil work. Page Forty-Five

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III. Postgraduate Courses As indicated in connection with the outline of postgraduate courses on page 36, the purpose of this work in Tennessee Military Institute is better preparation of high school graduates for more successful college Work than would be possible for them without such a year of special preparation. In most cases, it is not advisable or desirable that this work should take the place of college Work, but rather that it serve as a foundation on which students may be able to rank high in college work. Only in exceptional cases would we request a college to grant advanced standing on the basis of our Fifth Year workin Tennessee Military Institute. ENGLISH V ICOLLEGE ENGLISHI ' The object of this course is to accustom the pupil to the methods fol- lowed in early college courses in English. School customs and college entrance requirements have been such for many years that a great deal of time and work have to be devoted to the study of literature in the third and fourth years of the high school course in English. While this may be desirable for the large number of pupils Whose education ends with high school, for those who are to continue the study of English in college a more thorough mastery of the use of English is essential. Instead of a smattering acquaintance with lighter literature, popular in many schools, we undertake to cultivate a mastery of fundamentals in grammar and composition and later to develop ease and grace in various types of Writing required of first and second year college students. MATHEMATICS V Practically every survey dealing with failures in college work reveals that the highest percentage occurs in the departments of Mathematics. This is largely due to the fact that other courses have been allowed to crowd the study of Algebra into too short and too early a period in the public high schools. In most schools, Algebra is completed in the second year, and frequently by the middle of the second year. For high school graduates entering Tennessee Military Institute, we prescribe a course in Advanced Algebra, continuing either for a half year or whole year, depending on the previous work. Solid Geometry and Plane Trigonometry are likewise offered. Many of our post- graduate pupils carry two mathematics courses throughout the year. Mastery of these courses in Advanced Algebra, Solid Geometry, and Trigonometry provides an excellent foundation for successful work in college and engineering schools. CHEMISTRY II For pupils who have completed a first year course in Chemistry, we offer the course in Chemistry II. A large share of the pupils' time is devoted to laboratory work in qualitative analysis. Page Forly-Seven